Atomic-absorption determination of lead in geological materials

A method is described for the determination by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry of lead, tip to the milligram level, in samples of geological materials. After attack with perchloric-hydrofluoric acid mixture and the removal of perchlorate ion by precipitation as potassium perchlorate, lead is separated from matrix elements by means of anion-exchange in 2M hydrobromic acid on the strongly basic anion-exchange resin Dowex 1 x 8. Lead is adsorbed on the resin column while practically all other accompanying elements pass into the effluent. For the elution of lead 6(M) hydrochloric acid is used and after evaporation of the eluate lead is determined by atomic-absorption spectrophotometry. The method was tested by analysing numerous samples with contents ranging from a few ppm to milligram amounts of lead. In most cases very good agreement of results was obtained.